to
mind the sagacious supposition which the fat man had pronounced as to
the cause of his agitation, she proposed cooking a comfortable supper
and preparing a bed for him; but her kind offices were altogether
unavailing, as he appeared bent upon a rougher pastime for the night.

"When did you say," he inquired with a altering voice, "when did you
say the nocturnal guest went to Lichtenstein? and at what hour did he
depart?"

"He enters at eleven o'clock, dear sir," she replied; "and at the first
cock crow he retires over the drawbridge."

"Order my horse to be saddled immediately, and let me have a guide to
Lichtenstein."

"At this hour of night!" cried the landlady, and clasped her hands
together in astonishment; "you would not start now: you surely cannot
be in earnest."

"Yes, good woman, I am in real earnest; so make haste, for I am in a
hurry."

"You have not been so all day long," she replied, "and you now would
rush over head and ears into the dark. The fresh air, indeed, may do
invalids such as you some good; but don't suppose I'll let your horse
out of the stable this night; you might fall off, or a hundred
accidents might happen to you, and then it would be said, 'where was
the head of the landlady of the Golden Stag, to let people leave her
house in such a state, and at such an hour.'"

The young man did not heed her conversation, having relapsed into the
same melancholy mood as before; but when she finished, and paused to
get an answer, he roused up again, and wondered that she had not yet
put his orders into execution.

While she still hesitated to meet his wishes, and saw he was on the
point of going himself to look after his steed, she thought that, as
her good intentions were unavailable to retain him in her house, it
would be more advisable to let him have his own way. "Bring the
gentleman's horse out," she called to her servant, "and let Andres get
ready immediately, to accompany him part of the way. He is in the right
to take some one with him," she said to herself, "who may be of use to
him in case of need. How much do you owe me, did you say, sir knight?
why, you have had a measure of wine, which makes twelve kreuzers; and
the dinner,--as to that it's not worth talking about, for you ate so
little; indeed you scarcely looked at my fowl. If you give me two more
kreuzers for the feed of your horse, you shall receive the thanks of
the poor widow of the Golden Stag."

Having paid his recko